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Merchant Seaman: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

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Updated Nov 4, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of merchant seamen earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$51,520
Hourly
$24.77
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Merchant Seamen stand watch to look for obstructions in path of vessel, measure water depth, turn wheel on bridge, or use emergency equipment as directed by captain, mate, or pilot. The median pay is $51,520 a year ($24.77 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent (37% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$51,520
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
31,670
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 1-2 of 5
very little to some preparation
Most common education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
37% of workers

Data Government data groups this job as Sailors and Marine Oilers (O*NET-SOC 53-5011.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

Key facts

Merchant Seamen at a glance

  • Sailors and marine oilers in the United States earned a median annual wage of $51,520 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

  • In its 2025–35 employment projections, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education for sailors and marine oilers in the United States.

    Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35

  • BLS projects employment of sailors and marine oilers in the United States to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,600 openings a year on average, including replacement openings.

    Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35

  • BLS estimated that 31,670 people were employed as sailors and marine oilers in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the role

Every page for Merchant Seamen

SalaryMerchant Seaman salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomeMerchant Seaman how to become

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The work

What merchant seamen do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Maintain government-issued certifications, as required.
  2. Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.
  3. Stand watch in ships' bows or bridge wings to look for obstructions in a ship's path or to locate navigational aids, such as buoys or lighthouses.
  4. Splice and repair ropes, wire cables, or cordage, using marlinespikes, wire cutters, twine, and hand tools.
  5. Operate, maintain, or repair ship equipment, such as winches, cranes, derricks, or weapons system.
  6. Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses.
  7. Lubricate machinery, equipment, or engine parts, such as gears, shafts, or bearings.
  8. Chip and clean rust spots on decks, superstructures, or sides of ships, using wire brushes and hand or air chipping machines.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

Operations MonitoringcoreOperation and ControlcoreMonitoringcoreEquipment MaintenanceTroubleshootingRepairingCoordinationQuality Control AnalysisJudgment and Decision Making

Knowledge areas: Transportation, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Geography.

Tools and technology

Software merchant seamen use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMSFacilities management software
  • Microsoft ExcelSpreadsheet softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft Office softwareOffice suite softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft OutlookElectronic mail softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft PowerPointPresentation softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft WindowsOperating system softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft WordWord processing softwareHot technology
  • KNMI TurboWinData base user interface and query software
  • Kongsberg Maritime K-Log Deck LogbookData base user interface and query software
  • Log book softwareData base user interface and query software

Also called: AB Seaman (Able Bodied Seaman), AB Watchman (Able Bodied Watchman), Able Seaman, Deck Hand, Deckhand, Deckhand Engineer.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the cosine similarity of the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level and subtract the average across all occupations, then compare the direction of the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 means unrelated or opposite (negative values are shown as 0). Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).

How TryHired builds this data: sources, methods and downloads. Spotted an error? Report a correction.